Hello fellow tea drinkers. I've been lurking around the forum for a little while now, shamelessly stealing whatever info I could so I thought I should finally sign up. I'm a tea drinker from Las Vegas, been drinking tea all my life, loose tea for the past couple of years now. I've always been fascinated with the amount of care and precision that is put into tea brewing but unfortunately I haven't been putting that much effort into it. I've been more a part of the "microwave the water, put tea into it until it's dark, then drink" crowd. Well now I'm going to give the art of tea a shot and see how it goes. I would like to learn more about the various pieces of teaware used, like gaiwan, so if anyone has a link to a good beginner's guide I would greatly appreciate it!

Welcome and good luck with your tea journey! Just remember not to do too much too fast. Start with a simple pot and find which teas you like best. Then decide which brewing methods and vessels will best fit your taste. Really appreciating tea takes a little patience.